The New York LGBTQ community started demonstrations after a riot broke out at a routine raid of the Greenwich Village Stonewall Inn by police. This symbolized the creation of the Gay Liberation movement in the summer of 1969. Later in 1980, gay rights started to become a major political issue. A year later in 1981, another police raid of Toronto’s four largest baths sparked more LGBTQ action, including more efforts from the Right to Privacy Committee. This same year, AIDS (called GRID back then) started popping up in areas such as Los Angeles and New York City and quickly escalated. However, it wasn’t until 1987 that President Reagan delivered his first major speech on the AIDS epidemic. In October of the same year, the March on Washington for Lesbian and Gay Rights occurred which gave huge publicity to the LGBTQ community. In 1989, several organizations formed as AIDS service organizations. By 1990, there was an estimated 8 million people living with AIDS. A travel ban was soon established and not lifted until 16 years later by President Obama. Gay baths seem to be an incredible coming together place for the gay community. In recent years San Francisco and New York baths have been shut down which is a major set-back for the community. I think this halts the forward thrust of the movement which is pretty unfortunate. I think the community could turn these venues into more educational and unifying places.